Fast Starters: Your Weeks 1-4 Fantasy Football & SuperCoach Cheat Sheet

Draft season is the loudest room in fantasy — everyone's chasing ADP, arguing tiers, trying to nail their opening round. But there's a whole other lever sitting right there in the schedule that half the league won't even glance at until Round 1 kicks off: who's actually set up to fly out of the gate.

My philosophy every pre-season is the same: find the players whose first month lines up soft, and get ahead of the coaches who are still figuring theirs out in Week 3. A hot September doesn't just win you early matchups — it builds trade value, increases your cash generation, banks you bye-week cover, and buys patience with your studs who might need it later.

I've gone position by position and pulled the players with the friendliest Weeks 1-4 runs on the 2026 schedule. Some of these are locks in your top few rounds regardless. Others are the exact guys who'll outscore their draft slot & starting cost purely because the fixtures fell their way. Let's get into it.

Quarterback

Lamar Jackson (BAL) SuperCoach value: $21.88M Weeks 1-4: vs IND, @ NO, @ DAL, vs TEN

You BEST believe i’m hitting the Lamar Jackson well again to kick things off - a healthy Lamar is a happy supercoach owner. Ravens are favourites in every one of their first six games this year, and Dallas is the only genuinely tough matchup in this entire opening month. That's about as much cover as you can ask for from a schedule. Doesn't need much more said about the floor/ceiling combo here — this is just a friendly runway under a top-three fantasy QB & at a discounted price. Lamar is LOCKED in as my starting QB.

Jaxson Dart (NYG) SuperCoach value: $26.32M Weeks 1-4: vs DAL, @ LAR, vs TEN, vs ARI

Outside of the Week 2 Rams speed bump, this is about as clean a four-week stretch as a first-time starter could ask for — Dallas, Tennessee and Arizona are all plus-matchups against banged-up secondaries, and Dart gets all three at home. From Week 4 onward last year he was quietly the QB8 in points per game with seven top-12 weeks in his final eleven starts, and that was largely without Malik Nabers on the field. Nabers now looks like a real chance to suit up Week 1. New coaching staff, new pieces, still some kinks to work out — but the runway is there.

Jalen Hurts (PHI) SuperCoach value: $24.48M Weeks 1-4: vs WAS, @ TEN, @ CHI, vs LAR

Philly's got the single best fantasy schedule for QBs in the league to open the year, and Hurts is the guy cashing it in. Washington, Tennessee and Chicago all sat inside the top nine most points conceded to quarterbacks last season — that's three plus-matchups out of four before the Rams show up in Week 4 to remind everyone football is hard again. A.J. Brown's gone and there's a new OC in Sean Mannion running the show, so there's genuine swirl around this offense, but Hurts has reportedly turned up to camp leaner and sharper than the last couple of years. He also dropped four total touchdowns on the Rams the last time he saw them. Start believing early.

Kyler Murray (MIN) SuperCoach value: $18.6M Weeks 1-4: vs GB, @ CHI, @ TB, @ MIA

Kyler Murray was recently named the team’s starting QB for Week 1 (no surprise the wetsock JJ McCarthy is taking a back seat), in this new system with HC KOC we should see Kyler get back to producing fantasy goodness. Green Bay to open is no gimme, but Chicago and Tampa Bay are the kind of matchups this offense should carve up, and Miami closes the stretch as a soft, beatable fourth game. There is questions on how the chemistry will look with his receivers but even I could make it work throwing to Justin Jefferson, & let’s not forget about the production Kyler adds with his legs. 

Running Back

Omarion Hampton (LAC) SuperCoach value: $16.86M Weeks 1-4: vs ARI, vs LV, @ BUF, @ SEA

Arizona and Vegas conceded the 2nd-most and 9th-most fantasy points to running backs last season respectively, and Hampton gets both of them at home to open the year. Add in Mike McDaniel taking over as OC and a healthier O-line, and you've got a rookie who was already RB16 in per-game scoring — with six double-digit weeks in his final seven — now getting the smoothest possible runway into what looks like a legit RB1 season. Seattle in Week 4 is the one to be wary of, but by then this should already be a locked-in start.

David Montgomery (HOU) SuperCoach value: $11.5M Weeks 1-4: vs BUF, vs CIN, @ IND, vs DAL

Houston's run game was a mess for most of last year once Joe Mixon went down, and Woody Marks never really convinced anyone he was a between-the-tackles answer — hence the trade for Montgomery. Three of these four matchups (Bills, Bengals, Cowboys) were among the most generous run defences in the league last season, and this offense is only one year removed from riding Mixon to an RB5 finish. If Montgomery is the bell cow they're telling everyone he is, this is a genuinely juicy opening month.

Jahmyr Gibbs (DET) SuperCoach value: $24.77M Weeks 1-4: vs NO, @ BUF, vs NYJ, @ CAR

Gibbs doesn't need a favourable schedule to be a top-shelf SuperCoach asset, but it doesn't hurt that two of his first four are against defences that were leaking points to backs all last year. This is more "the cream rises regardless" than a hidden value play, but if you've got him and you're deciding whether to trade from a position of strength early, this stretch says don't rush it. Gibbs will be a player you start & end with on your roster for the whole season - don’t overthink it. 

Wide Receiver

DeVonta Smith (PHI) SuperCoach value: $12.23M Weeks 1-4: vs WAS, @ TEN, @ CHI, vs LAR

Same brilliant Eagles schedule as Hurts above, and with A.J. Brown out of the building, Smith walks into a legitimate WR1 role in an offense that already has three of the seven best fantasy matchups for receivers last season lined up to start. There's real offense-wide uncertainty as Mannion's scheme beds in, but the fixtures give this pairing every chance to get comfortable before the results actually matter. I couldn’t be any higher on DeVonta for this year, he will show us that he can be a TRUE ALPHA WR1 in for fantasy. 

Chris Olave / Jordyn Tyson (NO) SuperCoach value: $17.62M / $4.85M Weeks 1-4: @ DET, vs BAL, vs LV, vs ATL

Detroit to kick things off could be the highest scoring game of week 1 with how decimated the Lions secondary is & also in a dome environment. Vegas and Atlanta round out the month as genuine plus-matchups. Tyson's the No. 8 overall pick and has reportedly been building steam through camp, creating separation and building chemistry with Tyler Shough, but he's still a rookie learning an NFL route tree — I'd treat him as a lock for one of your bench WR spots or as a WR3/flex play. Olave's the safer, more established piece of this receiving room and the one carrying the reliable floor if you need production from Week 1.

Malik Nabers (NYG) SuperCoach value: $12.24M Weeks 1-4: vs DAL, @ LAR, vs TEN, vs ARI

Full transparency — Nabers is coming off a torn ACL and a second surgery on that knee, so Week 1 availability is genuinely uncertain rather than a lock. But if he's out there, this is the same generous Giants slate that Dart is riding, and Nabers was an elite fantasy receiver before the injury. The matchup upside is real if he's cleared along with the discounted price we’re getting - I’d be willing to roll him out week 1 if he is listed to play.

CeeDee Lamb / George Pickens (DAL) SuperCoach value: $16.25M / $18.54M Weeks 1-4: @ NYG, vs WAS, vs BAL, @ HOU

Giants and Washington to open is exactly the soft start you want behind an explosive Dallas passing game, before Baltimore and Houston tighten the screws in Weeks 3-4. Lamb's the clear WR1 in this offense when healthy & we’re getting an injury discount from last year, but Pickens has been a legitimate every-week SuperCoach option since arriving in Dallas and gives this receiving room two genuine weekly starters rather than just the one.

Zay Flowers (BAL) SuperCoach value: $14.96M Weeks 1-4: @ IND, vs NO, @ DAL, vs TEN

Flowers somehow keeps avoiding real target competition in Baltimore — a couple of mid-round rookies is the extent of the new blood in that receiving room — and he's set to face three defenses (Colts, Cowboys, Titans) that were among the most generous to receivers last year. I really like the new hire of OC Declan Doyle coming over from the Bears, his fast pace passing scheme should help take Flowers to new heights in 2026 - pair that with a healthy Lamar (I feel a career year coming his way)

Garrett Wilson (NYJ) SuperCoach value: $17.55M Weeks 1-4: @ TEN, vs GB, @ DET, @ CHI

This one's a genuine talent-over-situation play. The Jets offense as a whole isn't one I trust early, but Wilson's the engine of it regardless of who's throwing him the ball, and none of these four matchups are the kind that shuts a true WR1 down completely. Treat him as a slightly discounted must-start rather than a schedule-based riser — the matchups are fine, they're just not the reason to own him.

Tight End

Isaiah Likely (NYG) SuperCoach value: $5.59M Weeks 1-4: vs DAL, @ LAR, vs TEN, vs ARI

New home, familiar system — Likely slots into the same friendly early slate as Dart and Nabers in a fresh Giants offense. Early reports have him as Dart's clear favourite target through spring and camp. If that chemistry is real, this is a genuine streaming-into-starting option out of the gate at a super low price - I can’t see Likely not being my TE3 to start. 

Harold Fannin Jr. (CLE) SuperCoach value: $11.89M Weeks 1-4: @ JAX, @ TB, vs CAR, vs PIT

Not getting the hype some of the other second-year tight ends are, but Fannin quietly put up 72 catches, 731 yards and seven touchdowns as a rookie — good enough for TE9 in fantasy points per game — and he's a full training camp participant after a groin issue. Jacksonville, Tampa Bay and Pittsburgh were all top-nine matchups for fantasy tight ends last season, with Carolina sitting around league-average. His season-long schedule ranks third-easiest at the position, and this opening month is the best of it.

Dallas Goedert (PHI) SuperCoach value: $13.21M Weeks 1-4: vs WAS, @ TEN, @ CHI, vs LAR

Third Eagle on this list, and it's the same story as Hurts and Smith above — Washington, Tennessee and Chicago all project as soft, and with Brown gone there's more work to go around in this passing game than there has been in years. Goedert's role could genuinely expand if Mannion leans on multiple tight end sets. Personally i won’t be rolling with Goedert in SuperCoach due to his high price, but he’s a nice POD play if you want to stray from the pack.

Travis Kelce (KC) SuperCoach value: $11.69M Weeks 1-4: vs DEN, vs IND, @ MIA, @ LV

Full transparency on this one too — Kelce's deep into his 30s now and Kansas City has every incentive to manage his workload through a long season, so treat his early-season floor with a touch of caution regardless of matchup quality. That said, none of these four are matchups that scare you off, and if he's rolled out at anywhere near his usual snap share, this offense should still feed him enough to be a top-of-position play. To add, Rashee Rice doesn’t quite look like himself coming off a clean-up knee procedure that he began rehabbing in PRISON (that really happened) - things are pointing up for old man Kelce at the start of the year when his body should be the freshest it will be all season.

Kicker

Trey Smack (GB) SuperCoach value: $4M Weeks 1-4: @ MIN, @ NYJ, vs ATL, @ TB

Rookie sixth-rounder, big leg, and he's already in a genuine camp battle with veteran Brandon McManus for the job — so this one comes with a real "is he even the guy Week 1" caveat attached. If Smack wins the gig though, a competent, playoff-calibre Packers offense gives him plenty of scoring chances no matter who the opponent is. Watch the depth chart news closely before locking him into your side. My K2 if named to start. 

Joey Slye (TEN) SuperCoach value: $12.21M Weeks 1-4: vs NYJ, vs PHI, @ NYG, @ BAL

Slye's never been the most accurate leg in the league, but he's got one of the biggest, and he's now settled into a Titans job that isn't going anywhere after re-signing on a one-year deal. Nine field goals of 50-plus yards last season tells you he's not scared of long-range attempts, which matters on a team that won't always finish drives in the end zone.

Tyler Loop (BAL) SuperCoach value: $11.08M Weeks 1-4: vs IND, @ NO, @ DAL, vs TEN

The sneaky detail here — three of Loop's first four games are played indoors (Colts at home, then road trips to New Orleans and Dallas), which strips out weather as a variable and should keep his accuracy numbers clean early. He was 88.2% accurate as a rookie last year on a top-five rated offense, and now he's plugged into the friendliest Ravens schedule of the last few seasons. Pair this with Jackson and Flowers above if you want to lean all the way into the Baltimore stack.

Defence

LA Chargers D/ST SuperCoach value: $8.31M Weeks 1-4: vs ARI, vs LV, @ BUF, @ SEA

We couldn’t be any higher on the Chargers offence for this season & it’s the same for their Defence to open things up for the year. Arizona and Vegas are two of the most turnover-prone offenses on paper to start the year, and the Chargers open as the NFL's biggest Week 1 favourites at home. Buffalo and Seattle tighten things up in Weeks 3-4, but if you're chasing a top-two-weeks streaming play to bank cash early, this is it — and it pairs nicely on your bench with Hampton above if you're already leaning into this offense.

San Francisco 49ers D/ST SuperCoach value: $5.69M Weeks 1-4: @ LAR, vs MIA, vs ARI, vs DEN

Fred Warner and Nick Bosa both missed most of last season, which wrecked this unit's numbers — but full health changes the picture completely, and Miami, Arizona and Denver at home in Weeks 2-4 are three winnable defensive matchups to rebuild that reputation against.

Seattle Seahawks D/ST SuperCoach value: $13.23M Weeks 1-4: vs NE, @ ARI, @ WAS, vs LAC

Defending Super Bowl champs, and they open with three of four matchups against offenses that shouldn't push them around. The Chargers in Week 4 is the one game here where I'd want to check the line before trusting it — everything before that is a comfortable start. They are the most expensive starting DST for a reason. 

Tennessee Titans D/ST SuperCoach value: $5.85M Weeks 1-4: vs NYJ, vs PHI, @ NYG, @ BAL

The Jets are a target for opposing D/STs all season long, and a rookie-quarterback Giants offense in Week 3 is another green light. Philadelphia and Baltimore are the two genuine tests in this stretch, so treat this as a two-week streaming play (Weeks 1 and 3) rather than a four-week hold.

Do you want to LEVEL up your SuperCoach NFL & Fantasy football rosters for this season? Tune into us weekly over at the No Huddle podcast - all we want to do is help you beat your mates & victory lap all season long.

PSA to all the PUNTERS - Weekly punting show with our favourite props to target, kicking off a week before NFL start date.

Get your rosters sorted, coaches. Round 1 waits for no one.

Mullin ✌️🏈